Defence Agency's Ex-Chief, Wife Among 31 Pilgrims Stranded In Nepal Floods

Satheesh Reddy, former chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and his wife are among 31 pilgrims who are stranded near the Nepal-Tibet border following the devastating flash floods that hit the neighbouring nation on Wednesday morning.

At least 270 people have died and over 800 are missing in Nepal floods that swept away homes, bridges, and villages.

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Speaking at the NDTV World Anviksha Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal informed that at least 300 Indian nationals, mostly pilgrims, are missing.

"Foreign nationals, including Indians, take the route in the affected area to the Mansarovar Yatra. Close to 300 Indians have been reported missing and the government is trying to establish contact with them," Khanal said.

Ex-DRDO Chief Reddy and his wife were also undertaking Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred high-altitude pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, when the flash floods occurred. They are currently in the Saga County of Tibet.

All 31 pilgrims have informed their families that they are safe and had crossed the flood-hit area Wednesday morning.

They are now planning to return to India through the Tibet-China route. However, their return is dependent on the reopening of Tibet border by China, which Beijing considers its territory.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 21 Indian nationals have been rescued so far. However, 288 Indians continue to be missing, and efforts are on to rescue them. 

A glacier collapse is said to have blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the Bhote Koshi river, triggering flash floods.

India has sent nearly 50 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief materials to Nepal in two tranches. The first flight took off on Wednesday night and delivered 10-tonne material. The second flight carried 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines and food packets.